The problem with written communication

With SMS, Texting applications, emails, Internet and social media, humans are now reading and writing at an explosive pace and quantity that have never been seen before. We read so much stuff today through our smartphones and computers, and we respond to them and then we get responses again and this goes on, almost never ending. For most, the first option of communication with someone else is via text, either by SMS or other texting applications (Whatsapp, WeChat etc). Our interactions nowadays are more in written form rather than face to face, as we strive to maximize the number of interactions into the shortest time frame possible.

I am sure many have heard before that in communication, the verbal component of a face-to-face conversation is less than 35% and that over 65% of communication is done non-verbally. There are different estimations on this but the general agreement is that visual and audio communications play a significant role in bringing the meaning of the message.

Now, when we read a message, since it is text based, we have no reference on what the tone nor the body language of the communicator when he wrote it. Thus, if we even take a modest comparison with face to face communication, we lose at least 50% of meaning the message. 

So, when we lose the meaning of the message, where do our mind fill the gaps about it? Well, I am guessing that we use our own instincts/values/emotions to create our own perception of what the message is all about, filling the gap for our incomplete meaning of the message. For instance, when you are angry, you are more likely to interpret a friendly message as hostile or sarcasm. When you are happy, you will perceive a hostile message differently and respond in a more positive tone even willing to give benefit of the doubt to the communicator. And belief system too, plays a role : a religious person will try to interpret the message from a religious perspective, likewise for people affiliated with other movements/groups, political or social, people will see the message from their own point of view, not of the communicator. A beautiful women may see an innocent text message as a flirtatious one since she is used to getting that. A lonely person would be more appreciative of a text message and responds much positively compared to the socially busy ones. So, the meaning of the written message depends on who/what is the receiver it as well.

Another problem with written communication is the timing between the sent messages, time it is being read and the time one responds to the message. In a face to face conversation, there is no delay in communication but in messaging (instantaneous), one may read it hours or even days after it was sent. In face to face conversations, one can instantly question if unclear on the meaning of the message, reducing ambiguousness.

Thus why, pictures with text and infographics are easier to viral in the Internet as it used by many to communicate because it gives additional image of the message and helps to transfer meaning more accurately.

Well, the danger that I see is that people are more likely to lose themselves from written communication alone and get sucked into their own perception bubble, in the long run. As people are more likely to interpret the meaning of the message from their ow viewpoints, much of the original meaning of the message will be misconstrued and multiplied further, causing even more miscommunication.

A lot of miscommunications will happen and those miscommunications will snowball the effort of rectification and reinstating the original meaning of the message. Thus, there will be lot of back and forth replies. In the long run, a face to face conversation, although costing more effort (travel time, meeting place etc) may actually be more efficient than text communications.

We can see nowadays, almost everywhere, that people are more prone to communicate via text messages than talking to each other. Many social functions are attended only physically as most attendees are mentally tied to their smartphones. Many relationships also suffer because too much communication are from written messages and these easily gets misinterpreted. 

 Perhaps we need to go back to basics and actually talk to people rather than write to them. It is high time we look for quality instead of just quantity.

#notetoself